


IT Decays - The Losers Club (AU)

by eddiesgazebos



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, F/M, Gore, Horror, M/M, Scary, Violent, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-06-30 11:47:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15751050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eddiesgazebos/pseuds/eddiesgazebos
Summary: The dead are living. The living are at war. So what will one group of misfit losers do to survive?An IT Zombie Apocalypse AU





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This is a much longer fic than I have written before. I've also never written anything like this. So I'm nervously posting this anyway. I do hope you enjoy it though! Leave some feedback <3

Stan's body jolted upright from his bed when the sounds of screams made their way through his slightly cracked open window. Sirens and car alarms blared throughout the sound of blood-curdling screams. He quickly jumped out of bed with a heavy breath and quietly made his way to the window.

"Everybody stay inside! Lock your doors and windows!" A loud voice echoed between the buildings out front. "Everybody stay ins-" a loud squeak interrupted the officer's voice and more screams added to the noise. Gunshots made him snap his head toward his open bedroom door. Stan made his way to the front of his apartment and stared in horror out the window at the bloody police car and the lifeless bodies falling out of it.

A man who looked pale, almost gray, jumped out from the side and tackled another officer near the car. The dead-looking man took a big bite out of the officer's throat. Stan's eyes widened as he witnessed it all. He fell back onto the floor and his stomach turned.

"What is this" he whispered to himself in horror. He quickly pulled himself back up to his feet. He picked up his cellphone and quickly called Bill. He listened to the few rings before they finally stopped.

"Hello?" Bill's voice was gentle and tired. "Stan? W-What's wrong?"

"Bill, something's going on" Stan carefully walked back to the window and peeked out. More gunshots went off and Stan ducked down under the window.

"Shit, what w-was that?" Bill's voice heightened from its slumber tone.

"Cops. They're out front. All I can hear is screaming and I just saw some guy bite a cops throat out!" he yelled in a whisper voice. "I'm freaking out!" He peeked back out the window and noticed another officer trying to help the bite victim. As Stan watched, he noticed the dead cop's leg start to move. "How is he still alive?" Stan mumbled to himself. The officer sat straight up and grabbed the man who was trying to help him. He bit the guy's face as a woman joined in on the feast.

"Stan!" Bill shouted into the phone. Stan hadn't even heard Bill's previous attempts to catch his attention. "Stop watching th-them. Wh-Whatever you do, don't-.." he went silent but Georgie could be heard in the background.

"Bill! There are cops outside and they're shooting!" The teenage kid warned his big brother.

"Shit...It's happening he-here too?" Bill's voice was filled with fear. Stan shook his head.

"Stay inside and lock your doors and windows. I'll get ahold of everybody else. I'll add you to the call"

"Stay safe Stan" Bill hung up.

 

Richie whined loudly as his phone started to go off. He lifted his head from the back of the couch and looked at the clock. 4:01 am. He looked down at Eddie who was curled up at the other end of the couch. He grabbed his phone and squinted at the screen. He read Stan's name and tiredly answered it. Stan, Beverly, Bill, and Mike showed up on the screen.

"Ugh... What the hell do you guys want?" Richie grumbled. He sat up more and looked at the TV to see their movie that they were previously watching had ended quite a while ago.

"Guys, something bad is happening" Stan was moving around a lot as was Bill. Richie fixed his glasses on his nose and watched.

"Insane? And I didn't do it?" Richie snorted.

"Shut up Richie! This isn't the fucking time to joke" Stan snapped. Richie shut up and raised an eyebrow. "People are eating each other outside. Cops are shooting. Dead people are coming back to life" Stan's voice hitched and he took a couple deep breaths.

"You sure you're not asleep?" Richie yawned then froze as he heard the gunshots too. His eyes widened and he moved closer to his screen to see his friends easier. "Holy shit!"

"Richie shut up" Eddie mumbled, still half asleep and completely unaware of the conversation going on.

"Guys, check your doors and windows. Pack your stuff. We're all going to meet up somewhere and take shelter until this blows over" Mike demanded.

"How are you guys going to get out without getting hurt?" Beverly asked. Ben could be seen behind her running around to check the windows and doors.

"We'll figure it out. But what's it looking like at your places?" Stan asked.

"Shooting ou-outside here," Bill said worriedly. Richie got up to walk over to the window and look out. He stared at the lit up houses and scrambling people.

"People are fleeing here" Richie mumbled. "They're just-" He jumped back from the window as he witnessed a woman be tackled to the street. "Holy shit! What the fuck!"

"Richie are you okay?" Eddie called from the other room.

"Ben said it's getting a bit hectic out here" Beverly chimed in.

"It's calm here," Mike told the others. "Don't even hear any noise coming from the animals"

"Alright, we all need to meet up there" Stan sighed heavily.

"Stan, I'll come to pick you up" Mike asked. "Richie, can you and Eddie get here safely? Bill, what about you and Georgie?" Mike asked.

"We'll be alright" Bill replied. Richie made eye contact with Eddie who stared at him in fear and confusion.

"What's going on?" Eddie asked.

"We'll be there," Richie told Mike. "Packing now" Richie quickly hung up and shoved his phone into his pocket. He quickly grabbed Eddie's hands and pulled him up from the couch. "Eds, we need to go to Mike's farm"

"What? Is he okay?" Eddie asked worriedly.

"He is, we...need to hurry or we won't be" Richie swallowed hard. "Dead are rising and eating people. Sounds like a sick horror movie huh?"

"Richie that's ridiculous" Eddie rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious! Why the fuck do you think the others would call at 4 am?" Richie tensed as the sounds of screams seemed to grow louder and louder to prove his point. Eddie's eyes widened and he looked toward the front door then at Richie. "Pack what we need. Hurry" Richie let go of Eddie and rushed off to the bedroom to find their luggage bags. He tossed a duffel bag out of the room to Eddie who caught it and ran to the bathroom. He opened the cupboard and swiped the shelves clean of all medication, dumping them into the bag.

Richie rushed through their small home in a deep panic. His mind was scattered, constantly reminding him of a different thing they'd need as every second passed. He dashed back and forth quickly. "It's happening Eds! It's happening!" He called out in a whisper form of a yell.

"Shut up, Richie" Eddie hissed and his eyes rolled. He quickly packed all of the food he could find and set the bags together. He grabbed another bag and packed gear such as flashlights, candles, lighters, walkie-talkies, batteries, and everything else he managed to find.

"Shit, shit we need weapons Eds!" Richie realized and looked around the house. "We don't have a gun"

"Nope, because you would have shot yourself a long time ago" Eddie pulled the silverware drawer open and looked inside. "We have knives, that's about it"

"We need a fucking flamethrower!" Richie gasped his reply.

"Shut up and pack, Trashmouth" Eddie groaned and grabbed a long container to put their silverware in, just to be safe. In less than a half hour, they were packed and ready to go. They had clothes, food, medicine, knives, and other odd items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.

Richie carefully looked out the front window and scanned the area. He watched as people ran back and forth to their cars. He stared at the awful looking creatures that would dash after the living. Richie shuddered and bit his bottom lip.

"It's risky out there, Eds" Richie looked over his shoulder at the shorter boy. "Even if we can get all of this and ourselves in the car safely, the road is a fuckin' mess"

"Well we need to get out of here" Eddie mumbled as took a peek out the window too. "We can make it to the car. There's a gap just over there" Eddie pointed against the glass. "We drive through there and figure out the rest. We have to go, Richie"

"I know, I-I know" Richie stammered and shifted his weight between his feet. "I'll go first" Richie grabbed the car keys and lifted every bag that he could carry. "You stay behind me, you got that?"

"Richie, worry about you. I'll be okay" Eddie said as he leaned up to kiss Richie's cheek before nudging him toward the door. "Now go" Richie carefully grabbed the doorknob and slowly pulled the wooden door open. He peeked his head out and looked around. The screams were louder and it sent shivers up Richie's spine. Nobody was on their lawn and that meant the time for them to get to their car would be enough.

Richie led the way outside to their compact SUV. His eyes continued to scan the area and to check on Eddie. Eddie stayed close behind Richie with the rest of the bags. Their house was locked up but they both knew if this situation lasted much longer, it would be raided too. Luckily, they were able to grab everything important. That was the luxury of just moving into a small home. Less stuff to worry about.

Richie threw the back open and shoved his luggage inside. He stepped to the side so Eddie could do the same. Richie carefully pulled Eddie back far enough so that he could shut the back door. He then ran around to the driver's side door and got in. Eddie was seconds behind him, climbing into the passenger seat. They shut their doors, locked them, and Richie quickly got the SUV started up.

He carefully pulled out of the driveway and everything seemed as fine as it could be. But not even a moment later, Eddie and Richie both were thrown forward in their seats as Richie had to slam on the break. A man with bloodshot eyes stumbled in front of the car and practically glowed from the headlights. Richie's eyes widened as he stared at the drunk like figure in front of them. Eddie gulped.

"Back up and go around" Eddie suggested. Richie nodded barely and threw the SUV into reverse. He backed up just enough to pull around the hell risen man. A painful groan could be heard even through the closed windows as the lifeless living body stumbled after the car.

"It's fucking following us!" Richie worriedly warned his passenger. Eddie looked out the window and his hand instantly searched for Richie's arm.

"There's more, Richie. We need to go!"

"What the fuck do I do? Just run them over!?"

"Yes!" Eddie reached over and threw the SUV back into drive. Richie swallowed hard and stomped his foot down onto the gas pedal. The car roared and zoomed forward. The hood clipped the dead man's side and caused it to roll to the ground. Richie drove around the crashed cars in the street and carefully dodged anything else that he possibly could.

They were off to Mike's farm.

 

Mike took a deep breath as he got into his Jeep. The screams, groans, and police sirens he could hear in the background of the others' calls stuck in his mind. He took a quick but thorough look around at his surroundings. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Once he had started his Jeep, he took just a few seconds to pull himself back together. After a few moments, he shook his head and drove down his long driveway. He pulled onto the dirt road and headed toward town.

As he got closer to town, the scenery turned into something from a horror movie. He had to hit the brake when he drove up to a large pile-up of crashed cars. The streets were covered in pools of blood. Bodies littered the lots and sidewalks. The bodies that had risen were clumsily running into the crashed cars and attacking anything else that made just a bit of sound. Mike took a minute to just observe. This was worse than his nightmares and yet, he was still awake.

Though it was a much longer trip, he knew he had to offroad this trip. Luckily, it worked out. Mike drove up into Stan's backyard and slowed to a stop as close as he could get to the house without hitting anything. He put the Jeep in park and turned it off. He got out just as Stan opened the door.

"How?" was all Stan could muster out before Mike waved his hand to push his questions away.

"Let's just get out of here. Got everything that's important to you?" Mike asked as he rushed over to help Stan carry his bags. Stan nodded. His face was paler than usual and his body was trembling ever so slightly.

"Everything but the kitchen sink" Stan noted before walking past Mike toward the Jeep. He shoved his bags into the backseat then looked over his shoulder at Mike. Mike was right behind him and shoved what he could beside the other bags. He then packed the back of the Jeep and tied the rest to the top of the roof. He double checked to make sure everything was secure. They both got into the Jeep and Mike drove off back toward the farm.

"You alright?" Mike asked gently with a quick glance over to Stan before staring at the dirt path ahead.

"I don't get how this is possible" Stan muttered barely loud enough for Mike to even hear. His fingers were busy fidgeting with his pajama pants. "The dead, they're living. I thought I was still asleep at first" They both fell quiet for a little while. Stan watched the branches drag past the Jeep while Mike steered their way through safety. "Really hope this is all over soon," Stan said gently. His gaze dropped to his lap before his eyes closed to keep in any tears that threatened to escape.

"Me too, Stan. Me too" Mike carefully reached a hand over and squeezed Stan's shoulder. Stan rested his hand on top of Mike's and frowned.

 

"Bill?" Georgie stared over at his big brother who was concentrated on the busy roads ahead of them.

"Hm?" Bill hummed. He couldn't take his eyes off the road. So much was happening that Bill could barely keep up. The traffic was terrible and people were dying while the dead were rising. Bill's fingers nervously tapped on the steering wheel and an irritated sigh would occasionally escape his lips.

"The world is ending, isn't it?" Georgie watched Bill's restless motions closely. He could feel his heart racing and his stomach was twisting and flipping like a rollercoaster he had been on with his big brother just a few months back.

"No, Georgie. The ah-army will fix this" Bill replied with fake confidence. "That's their job. We will buh-buh-be just fine"

"I don't think they can fix this, Billy," his childhood nickname for his brother often made an appearance even in his teenage years.

"They will," Bill stated firmly. "D-Dammit!" He hit the steering wheel and slouched forward for a second. "These cars need t-to move"

"If we had a big truck, we could just push them all out of the way"

"We don't though, d-do we, Georgie?"

"No. I guess we don't, huh" they both sighed. "but there's got to be a way through!" Georgie looked out the window and watched the demon looking creatures roam the street. Bill sighed heavily and backed their vehicle up slowly to try and turn around to find another route. He backed off to the side of the street and turned slowly. The dead wandered closer and closer to them which only made each boy tense.

"Hold on" he instructed Georgie. Georgie looked at Bill with a raised eyebrow. What was he supposed to hold onto exactly? The dashboard? Like that would do anything... Bill stepped on the gas which forced their bodies to press into the back of their seats. Bill swerved through crashed cars, trash cans, mailboxes, and the lifeless walking bodies along the street. Georgie watched Bill in amazement as his form looked a lot like a racecar driver. The childish thought made him smile.

Georgie's eyes widened as the sight of a young woman came into view through the windshield. Bill's swerving was good so far but with this speed and her sudden appearance, he knew the worst.

"Bill! Watch out!" Georgie yelled. Bill turned the wheel quickly and the car swerved around the young woman. Georgie quickly covered his eyes and Bill prepared for the worst while still trying to keep control of the car. The car swerved right and then left and got caught into a rocky movement. As Bill tried to get his control back, the car smashed into another car that was parked on the side of the street. "Bill? Billy are you okay?"

"I'm f-fine" Bill shivered with fear. He forced his eyes to leave the windshield and to look over at his little brother. "Are you?"

"Yeah...Yeah, I'm fine" Georgie replied while slowly lowering his hands. He looked out his window and then at the other car they had collided with. He gulped and looked over at Bill. "Is she still drivable?" Boats and cars are always called she, according to Bill.

"I'm n-not sure" Bill admitted. He carefully pressed his foot against the gas and heard the engine roar as the car jolted forward just an inch. "I think shuh-she'll get us there"

"I think I need to drive the rest of the way" Georgie tried to joke to help Bill lose some of his anxiety and embarrassment. By the upset look on Bill's face, he had failed.

"We'd be through th-that house over there if you wuh-were driving, George"

"Maybe so" they both chuckled a little bit. They both were so distracted by the crash that they had forgotten about the woman in the street that caused it in the first place. The thought of her only returned when her face appeared outside of Bill's window.

Bill jumped as a bloody hand hit against the window. The siblings looked through the glass and stared at the pale face staring back at them. The woman's neck had dark veins stretching across her skin, fading as it reached her chin. Her neck and chest were bloody.

"Help me! Please!" The woman shouted through the glass as she slid her bloody hand down the window. Georgie carefully reached over and rolled the window down just enough to hold a conversation with her.

"What happened to you?" Georgie asked as he leaned closer to the glass to get a better look at the blood.

"One of those bastards bit me! Please, I need to get to a hospital!" the mysterious woman begged. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"We have to help her" Georgie insisted as he looked at Bill and leaned back into his own seat. "She's all alone"

"Georgie, wuh-we have to get to M-Mike's place" Bill mumbled gently.

"The hospital isn't that far away" Georgie climbed into the backseat and opened the door.

"Georgie!" Bill tried to grab him but was too late. The woman was already halfway into the car.

"I'll get you some bandages, ma'am. Just stay calm" Georgie helped her get her seatbelt on then reached under the passenger seat and pulled out the first aid kit from it's home. Bill glared back at him before realizing he had no other choice. He quickly put the car back into drive, carefully pulled away from the car they had crashed into and drove off toward the hospital. Bill listened closely to the car to listen out for any complications with the motor.

"Thank you, thank you so much" she spoke in heavy breaths. Georgie nodded and cleaned his hands with hand sanitizer, thoroughly like Eddie taught him. He then got to work on her wound.

"We're in this together" Georgie chimed as he cleaned her wound. "I'm Georgie. And the driver, that's my big brother Bill"

"I'm Mina. It's nice to see there are still good people" the woman replied weakly. Her voice was hoarse and her lips were drying out rather quickly.

"We have to stick together until this all ends" Georgie stared at her wound intently as he worked. Once enough blood was cleaned away from it, the rotting tissue of the bite was in full sight. "Oh.. Oh no" Georgie muttered.

"What? What is it?" Mina asked in a panicked tone.

"Um, nothing. Nothing. Just relax please" Georgie moved the cotton swab against the bite as carefully as he could. He frowned when she winced but had to continue. He inspected the flesh around the bite and noticed that her veins were even darker near the bite. "Bill hurry" Georgie demanded.

"We're ah-almost there" Bill looked in the rearview mirror before staring at the road ahead. "The mm-m-main roads are all a mess. I'm taking the back route. But I'm sha-sure she's not the only one who's been attacked. We may not get anywhere near the...the hospital" Georgie listened carefully and worriedly dressed her wound.

"Okay, just sit tight. Alright, Mina?" Georgie offered a friendly smile.

"Do you have any...any water?" Mina asked gently. Her breathing was slowing down and her eyes were getting heavy.

"Yes, yes we do" Georgie quickly grabbed the unopened water from Bill's backpack and opened it for her before holding it out for her. She carefully grabbed it and moved the bottle to her grossly chapped lips. She chugged as if she hadn't had water in months.

"Damn it!" Bill groaned as the car slowed to a stop. "We can't get there. Look a-at these roads!" Georgie looked up ahead and climbed into the passenger seat to inspect the traffic. Cars were piled up, crashed against each other, and even off the road.

"We'll have to walk" Georgie noted.

"No. We ah-aren't risking our lives" Bill refused. "Shuh-She can go herself"

"She can barely hold the water bottle!" Georgie glared at Bill. "We have to help her"

"No" Bill glared back. The glare showdown didn't last long before a light groan came from the backseat. They both turned their gaze to the back and stared at Mina. Her head had fallen back against the seat. Her breathing had stopped.

"Mina?" Georgie called carefully. He cautiously reached into the backseat and reached for her arm. "Hey, Mina"

"Georgie don't," Bill muttered. Just as Georgie touched her arm, her body jolted and her head snapped forward. Her eyes opened wide to show that they were completely bloodshot. Mina's hand raised to grab Georgie's arm but Bill was quick enough to grab him and pull him back into the front seat. "What the hell" Bill shouted as he ducked away from the reaching woman's arms.

"Mina stop!" Georgie yelled as he leaned his body tight against the dashboard.

"I d-don't think that's Muh-Mina anymore!" Bill shouted over the groans and growls erupting from Mina's throat. The woman who was once Mina kept jolting forward but the seatbelt held her back. The bottle of water fell to the floor and the first aid kit crashed down along with it.

"What do we do!?" Georgie stared at Bill, waiting for answers. But Bill just stared at the woman in the backseat with wide eyes and a closing throat. "Bill!" Georgie begged for his attention but Bill was frozen. Georgie looked back and forth between Bill and the newly dead woman in the backseat. Each jolt forward seemed to get more and more violent.

Georgie quickly looked around the car to find a fix for this mess that he created. He knew this woman wanted to attack him. She was bitten and that bite looked poisonous and rotten. He put the ideas together and quickly got out of the car.

"What are you d-doing?" Bill shouted after Georgie as his attention finally snapped away from the danger in the backseat.

"Get out of the car!" Georgie ran around to Bill's door and opened it. "She was bitten and now she's...this. Get out!" Georgie grabbed Bill by the arms and forced him out of the car. Bill looked around and gripped Georgie's sleeve to keep him close.

"There's more out here, Georgie" Bill hissed. Georgie looked around and shook his head.

"We need to be quick then. We need to get her out of the car" Georgie opened the back door and watched as the woman jolted toward him. He quickly backed up and looked at Bill. Bill thought for a moment and walked around to the trunk. He opened it and shoved bags around until he could reach the floor of the trunk.

"Get around to the-the other side of the car and g-get ready to get back in" Bill pulled out grass sheers from the trunk and slammed it shut. He walked around to the victim's door and stared at her. "Go" he demanded Georgie. Georgie stared with big eyes but did as he was told. He dashed around the car and watched through the window.

Bill gulped. One wrong move and he'd be bitten. He inhaled deeply and reached in with the sheers. He reached low around her waist in hopes he'd be out of bite range. He quickly clipped the seatbelt enough for it to cut apart and free the woman. He quickly moved back as her body fell forward against the driver's seat where he once was.

The woman fell to the side and tumbled from the car and down onto the concrete. Georgie hopped back into the car quickly as he saw this and motioned for Bill to get in too. Bill shoved the door shut and started getting back into the car. When a hand wrapped around Bill's ankle, he snapped his head to look down. The woman's hand gripped and tugged at his ankle roughly.

"Bill hurry!" Georgie shouted. More groans were adding to the noise as other creatures wandered toward them. Bill hurriedly tried to kick Mina's hand off.

"She g-grabbed me!" Bill's voice was filled with fear. He tried to pull his leg into the car but he couldn't drag her weight and she wasn't letting go. She tugged his ankle toward her mouth which he kicked at her face to avoid the bite. The sheers that were once in his hand suddenly disappeared.

"I'm sorry" Georgie's voice heightened and a loud crack startled Bill. Bill's ankle was finally free and he fell into the driver's seat. Bill looked up to see Georgie pulling the sheers free from Mina's wrist. Bill stared in horror at the gash along Mina's wrist and arm and then at Georgie. Georgie quickly ran around the car and got back in. His breathing was heavy and tears formed in his eyes.

Bill didn't say a word as he pulled his door shut and turned the car around to speed off. Georgie curled up in the passenger seat with the sheers resting on the floor underneath him. They were both trembling as if it was the middle of winter. They rode in silence with teary eyes for what felt like forever. It had only been about twenty-five minutes before Bill finally spoke.

"Thank you" Bill's voice cracked.

"I'm sorry" Georgie whispered.

"You s-saved me" Bill looked over at Georgie who's tears were rolling down his reddening cheeks.

"I'm the reason we let her in, in the first place" Georgie replied blankly. Bill shook his head and moved his hand over to Georgie's shoulder.

"We didn't know" he told him softly. "We c-couldn't have known"

"You were right" Georgie cried quietly. Bill frowned and went back to being quiet. He just concentrated on getting Georgie and himself to safety: Mike's farm.


	2. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill and Georgie meet up with the rest of the gang at Mike's farm. The crew has to begin with their plans to survive Hell on earth.

"Where the hell are they?" Beverly groaned as she paced across the floor. Mike picked up his phone and tried to call Bill again. Richie got up and started to pace alongside Beverly. They were all waiting on just two people. Bill and Georgie.

"No answer again" Mike stated worriedly. He stood up and kicked some bags to the side to have a free path to the door. "I'm going to look for them"

"No, Mike!" Stan stood up and grabbed Mike's arm to pull him back from the door. "You saw what it's like out there"

"Yeah, and that's exactly why I want to go find them" Mike spoke harshly. The two just stared at each other for a moment before Stan loosened his grip.

"And what if you don't return?" Eddie asked from the couch.

"I'll return" Mike mumbled. Before he could take another step, Beverly gasped heavily.

"They're here!" she cheered as she threw the front door open just in time for the two to walk up to the entrance. They walked right in and Beverly threw her arms around both of the shaking boys. "Oh my god, what took you so long?"

"We had a few puh-problems on the way" Bill muttered lightly. Georgie stayed silent and pulled away from Beverly after a quick hug to go off by himself within the house he had visited so many times before.

"What do you mean?" Mike asked while shutting the door. "Are you both okay?"

"We're f-fine. Just- we tried to ss-s-save someone. But she turned into one uh-uh-of the monsters" Bill stammered. "While in the backseat of our c-...our car"

"Oh my god, how?" Beverly asked while carefully rubbing Bill's back.

"She had been bitten buh-by one" Bill explained carefully. "Georgie tr-tried to fix up her wounds and we were go-going to take her to the hospital. But, we couldn't get th-get there and she turned into whatever those are anyway" Everybody frowned at the news.

"I'll go check on Georgie" Beverly sighed heavily. "Glad to see you made it though, Bill" Beverly gave his shoulder a quick squeeze before walking off to find Georgie.

Bill dropped the bags that he had carried and then let his own body fall into a chair. His mind and body were completely exhausted. His body was going to fall apart any second and every muscle within him was about to crumble apart. Mike ran out to grab the rest of his stuff for him. Richie walked over and sat in Bill's lap with a vibrant grin.

"At least you ain't dead, huh?" Richie smiled.

"Now's not the time, Richie" Eddie hissed. Richie rolled his eyes and messed with Bill's hair.

"Ahh, come on. We have to make light of this! Or we'll go crazy too" Richie looked around the room for some agreement but got nothing in return besides glaring eyes and eye rolls. "Alright, fine. Too soon" Mike walked back into the house and added the luggage to the rest of the groups'.

"That's everything" Mike announced while closing the door.

"Thanks, Mike" Bill yawned.

"No problem" Mike sat on the arm of the chair that Bill was sitting in and rested his hand on the back to hold himself up.

"Now what do we do?" Eddie asked while his eyes scanned over the other guys.

"We wait" Ben instructed. "This should be fixed soon enough, right? I mean, they can't just leave us like this"

"As if the government actually gives a fuck about us. They're safe in some damn bunker I bet and that's all those selfish assholes care about" Richie scoffed.

"Beep beep" the others mumbled collectively.

"Without us, they're nothing" Mike added. "They have to clean this mess up, whatever it is"

"And if they don't?" Stan asked while rummaging through one of his bags.

"They will" Ben retorted.

"And if they don't?" Stan repeated himself, lifting his gaze to look Ben in the eyes.

"We will figure it out" Mike waved his hands to get their attention off each other before they could create too strong of a tension. "We have each other, though. That's what's important"

"On our way here, I saw people stealing from other houses. Should we board this place up?" Eddie asked.

"Not a bad idea. But how do we do that?" Ben asked. "Not like we have metal bars and traps to set up"

"We'll use what we have. You'd be surprised what I have here" Mike stood up.

"We don't have many things to protect ourselves" Eddie added to the list of negativity. Richie lifted his arms to show off his muscles, though there wasn't much to see.

"I've got all I need right here" Richie winked at Eddie who rolled his eyes in return.

"That wont s-ss-stop a bite from one of those th-things" Bill pushed Richie's arms down.

"My muscles are made of fuckin' steel! They can't bite through all of this!" Richie's laugh filled the tense room.

"Richie" Mike sighed.

"Yeah, yeah. Beep beep, I get it" Richie mumbled and stood from Bill's lap to move over beside Eddie. Ben got up to help Mike with guarding up the windows and doors. Stan got up and decided to put the food away accordingly. Luckily, Mike had switched to solar panels when he inherited the farm. It was quiet and useful, another great reason to bunker down there while Hell was crawling up through the cracks in the earth and taking over.

Beverly joined the rest of the group after spending some time with Georgie in a guest bedroom. She sat on the sofa while the others were chattering about anything to get their minds off the current world issue.

"Georgie is going to try to get some sleep. Bill, he said you can sleep in there with him if you get tired" Beverly lifted the mug she had been drinking from before she left and took another sip of tea. Bill nodded to show he heard her. Eddie had fallen fast asleep on Richie's lap and Stan sat off to the side and lost himself in a book. Bill looked around and rubbed his tired eyes.

"Yeah...I'm off to sleep for a little while longer. Love you g-guys. Stay s-safe" Bill yawned and stood up. He grabbed his bag of personal belongings and waved.

"Night Bill" the rest replied together as Bill walked off to the guest room. Richie ran his fingers through Eddie's hair gently and looked around at everybody else.

"Where are we sleeping?" Richie asked. His eyes directed to Mike.

"Wherever you want," he said simply. "just not my room"

"There are three guest rooms. You two can have the second. Beverly and Ben can have the third" Stan mumbled without lifting his eyes from his book.

"You sure?" Richie looked over his shoulder at him. Stan nodded and motioned for Richie to go. "Thanks, Stan the man" Richie carefully moved out from under Eddie's head and stood up. He lifted Eddie into his arms. "Goodnight all, and to all a goodnight" Richie boomed as he walked off toward the second guest bedroom. Beverly smiled as she watched the lovebirds disappear and finished off her tea.

Mike and Ben decided to play a couple games of chess. Beverly leaned against the doorway to where Mike and Ben were playing and watched them.

"I think I'm going to go sleep for a few more hours as well. Goodnight, boys. If you need me, you know where to find me" Beverly smiled at them. Ben reached out to her and Beverly walked over to press her lips against Ben's. "Stay safe" she warned before looking at Mike. "You too" Beverly moved over to kiss Mike's cheek and then she left the room.

"Goodnight!" Mike called after her.

"Goodnight, beautiful" Ben called after her too and then the game began. Stan passed out on the couch with his book resting on his chest so Beverly carefully picked it up and placed a marker in it to save his spot for later. She walked to her room and got ready for bed. The house was silent. All but two were fast asleep. It felt like any other sleepover night but the memories of what the outside world looked like was still deep in their minds, haunting their consciousness.

 

"War again?" Mike groaned playfully as he stared at the cards lying face up on the wooden table. "I think you stacked the deck, Ben"

"I did not" Ben rolled his eyes with a grin crossing his face. "I think you're winning anyway" he nodded to the deck under Mike's hands. Mike looked down at it and examined it before gazing across at Ben's stack. He shook his head.

"Nah, you're winning" Mike replied while he slapped the last card down for their war. A Nine of hearts stared back at him. Ben lifted his hand after placing his own card down. Two of clubs. Mike smirked and flipped the three cards that were lying face down before sliding the cards to his stack. "Alright, maybe not"

"You won that because the cards heard you whining" Ben teased. He brushed his own cards over toward Mike for him to take. Mike straightened his cards before laying down the next one that rested on top. The game continued for about twenty minutes before Mike was crowned victorious. "Still think I stacked the deck?"

"You quickly fixed your cheating ways when I caught you" Mike joked. Ben laughed and stood up to get a water. "can you get me one too?" Mike asked while putting the cards back in the box.

"On it" Ben grabbed two bottles and headed back for the table. He held the bottle out to Mike who took it happily. They drank in silence. The house creaked gently with every gust of wind. The sound was peaceful, calming, and better than what could be heard back in town.

The early morning was calm. Seven o'clock came around and still, nothing could be heard outside but the sounds of nature. Mike and Ben had played chess, checkers, war, battleship, and a few other board games.

"This is going to take some getting used to, huh?" Mike muttered. Ben just nodded and fixed his eyes on the table.

Mike sighed softly and looked around. He stood to his feet and walked toward the closest window. He carefully moved the shade and peeked out at the new day. It was quiet outside, luckily.

Stan walked into the room and waved at the two before walking to the coffee machine and getting it started. Mike and Ben both waved back and they lost themselves in small talk. Ben and Mike moved to the couch to get comfortable now that Stan wasn't napping.

"Morning" Beverly called a bit later as her sock covered feet walked across the living room floor. The house smelled strongly of coffee by this point. Stan waved from the open kitchen while he grabbed a mug from the counter and held it out. Beverly smiled and walked over to take it. "Aw, thanks Stan" Ben lifted his head from the back of the couch and looked over at Beverly. He smiled crookedly.

"Morning beautiful" he muttered. Beverly smiled and walked over to press her lips against his forehead.

"How did it go?" She asked. She carefully lifted her mug to her lips and sipped the coffee.

"Calm and quiet all morning. Mike and I played some games" Ben sat up to pull Beverly into his lap. She wrapped an arm around the back of his neck then looked over at Mike who was checking the time.

"Good, that's a good sign" Beverly sighed with relief. Her eyes followed Mike as he stood up from the couch and walked toward where everybody's shoes were lined up neatly along the wall. "Time to tend to the farm?" Mike nodded.

"You want some help?" Ben asked. His fingers danced along Beverly's spine which sent small cold chills throughout her body.

"If you're up for the task" Mike responded and turned to see if Ben was serious. Ben shrugged and gently motioned for Beverly to get up from his lap, which she did. He stood up, quickly kissed Beverly's cheek, and they both walked out the front door.

"Be safe!" Beverly called after them. She sighed softly once the door was closed and moved her attention to the kitchen where Stan was busy looking through their food supply. She simply stood and tiptoed in then leaned against the island counters.

"I really do hope this all ends here soon" Stan muttered gently. Beverly just nodded and sipped her coffee. "With all of our mouths to feed, I'm just afraid we won't always have enough. We have the crops here but I just, I don't know" his shoulders sunk and his head lowered down. His shivering fingers traced the back of his neck.

"We will figure it out, Stan" Beverly comforted him gently and reached out to rest her soft hand on his shoulder. "We have each other and that's the biggest thing" Stan just nodded and quickly fixed his posture as they heard collective footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Good morning Hanlon citizens!" Richie's voice boomed into the kitchen.

"Hanlon citizens?" Beverly raised her eyebrow and looked over her shoulder at Richie. Eddie walked in soon after.

"Richie says because this is his farm, and the world is ending, our new town name is simply 'Hanlon'" Eddie mumbled while pushing his way past Richie to the fridge. Richie smiled proudly and looked between Stan and Beverly for reassurance of his amazing idea. Stan just rolled his eyes while Beverly shrugged and went back to drinking her coffee.

"You guys are so damn boring" Richie scoffed and walked over to the fridge. He bumped his hip gently against Eddie's to scoot him out of the way which only started a mini wrestling match within the kitchen. Beverly watched the two wrestle for dominance of the refrigerator and shook her head. Her red curls danced over her face and she brushed her fingers through the strands to push them back.

Neither boys won the battle as Stan pushed both to the side to look into the fridge first. Richie looked at him with wide eyes while Eddie was too busy fixing his shirt and hair. Stan just smirked at Richie and closed the fridge once he found what he was looking for.

Bill and Georgie joined the rest of the group downstairs after an hour or so. Bill ate a quick breakfast before he rushed outside to help Ben and Mike with the work around the farm. Georgie quietly found his place on the couch where he could try to hide away from the others.

Richie was first to notice and rushed right into the living room to jump onto the sofa beside his younger best friend. He sat on the cushion right beside Georgie's and slung an arm around his shoulders.

"Morning to you too, Richie" Georgie sighed heavily but a smile still crept onto his face.

"Good morning little Denbrough! How did you sleep?" He pinched Georgie's cheek and tugged with a careful force. Georgie swatted his hand away and rolled his eyes.

"Not that great" he admitted. Richie frowned and ran his fingers through Georgie's hair to mess with his bedhead state.

"Poor buddy, I can sing you to sleep tonight! Or read you a bedtime story!" Richie laughed loudly and a giggle formed deep in Georgie's throat.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Richie!" Georgie mumbled and shoved Richie to the other side of the couch.

"You're not!? Who was going to tell me!?" Richie played his best fake reaction for shock. This only got Georgie laughing harder and his laughs got Beverly to smile.

"You're still a loser" Georgie accused playfully. Richie shrugged with a grin glued to his face but he didn't respond. Beverly brought a bowl of cereal in to the living room for Georgie and held it out toward him. Georgie smiled up at her and carefully took it. Fruit Loops, his favorite.

 

"That should do it" Mike wiped his arm across his forehead to rid of the sweat that stuck to his skin. He grabbed a hold of the wooden structured add-ons to the fence that surrounded the farm. The add-ons that he, Ben, and Bill built. He gave it a good push and a smile formed when he noticed it wasn't budging.

"It'll keep th-th-.. Keep the sick ones out. Ri-Right?" Bill ran his fingers through his sweaty hair and dropped his hammer to the ground.

"It should. These stakes are thick enough. The living is what we have to fear though" Mike replied quietly. Bill's lips curved downward and he looked out toward the long driveway.

"We should build a gate" Ben got up from his knees and dusted his hands off on his jeans. "One that goes across the driveway" He pointed out toward the large gap in the fence and looked over at Mike who was looking out at the same gap.

"That'll take some time" Mike shifted his gaze to Ben. "But we do have the materials to do it. So we'll think about that"

"May-Maybe we'll be luh-lucky and it'll buh-buh-be over before then" Bill bounced his eyes between his two friends as if they were playing a tennis match. Both boys nodded but none of them agreed with Bill's statement. Not even Bill's.

Beverly walked across the lawn with a tray in her hands. She watched as the boys were distracted by their conversation and let her lips curl into a smile. Ben was first to notice her coming along and his eyes gazed over her beauty. She was wearing her overall shorts which he absolutely adored on her light complexion. Beverly caught him starving and a bright pink blush filled her freckle covered cheeks.

"I thought you boys would be thirsty" she held the tray out once she stood beside Ben. Three hands reached toward the tray and each drink was taken and chugged down quickly. "And obviously, I was correct" Beverly's laugh made each boy crack a smile.

"Thanks, Bev" Mike set his empty cup onto the tray and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. He then started tossing the leftover wood into the wagon for easier transport. Bill carefully set his own empty cup onto the tray as well and offered a smile at Beverly before he bent over and helped Mike.

"Need anything else?" Beverly asked. "I can help out here"

"We have to board up the barn and figure out a security system so we can get in but others can't" Mike began. "We also need to secure the crops. Also, need to tend to the crops. Animals are all fed though. Ben did that"

"Hm," Bev nodded her head and looked at the barn. "I've got this" she carefully handed Ben the tray before grabbing the handle for the wagon and pulling it toward the barn. The boys exchanged glances before following after her.

Her confident strut caused the boys to gawk. The stares weren't disrespectful. These boys had all of the respect in the world for this woman. But every movement she made was done with such confidence that the boys were never ready for it. Their eyes were not full of lust as they were filled with complete admiration.

Beverly knew they stared. It amused her but also gave her a feeling of pride. Her boys were always her biggest fans and that's all she ever could have asked for from her small group of losers.

"Can we trust you with tools?" Mike teased. Beverly shot a glance at the taller boy and raised an eyebrow.

"Trust me?" She asked. Her eyelids lowered with shock but a smile still dared to spread over her lips.

"Yeah, don't be showing us up or anything" he laughed and she joined along with Ben and Bill.

"I think she did that years ago" Ben added. His arm snaked around her waist and tugged her closer. She rolled her eyes but smiled up at him and pinched his cheek gently. It wasn't as easy to pinch his skinnier cheeks. Not like when they were kids when Ben had the extra fat to pinch at. If Beverly stared long enough, she could still see that chubby boy in the depths of his eyes.

Ben noticed her staring and a crimson shaded blush brightened his cheeks. He quickly tore his gaze away and looked ahead at the barn. Beverly's smile turned into a smirk as she pulled away from Ben and walked into the barn.

"Time to get to work" she called. She grabbed a tool belt and hooked it around her waist before turning back to her boys. "Let's do this"


	3. The First Kill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're finally met by one of the dead ones.

The farm was finally secured after hours of hard work had finally passed. The barn was locked up and looked pretty badass thanks to Beverly and her tired out boys. 

Sweat sat like paste along their skin while each member of the small group sat out on the front porch together. Richie tapped his foot gently on the wooden step underneath him while he hummed the guitar part for 'Smoke On The Water' by Deep Purple. Beverly tapped her foot along with Richie's and rested her head gently on his shoulder. Georgie bounced a tennis ball off from the side of the house, caught it, and repeated his actions quietly. 

Boredom was slowly starting to set in. Hell taking over the earth had only been going on for a day but it already felt like it's been at least a month.

"Shouldn't we be looting other houses or something?" Georgie grumbled. His hand squeezed the tennis ball before he bounced it once again. "That's what people do in the movies"

"Does it look like we're in a movie?" Stan cocked an eyebrow at the younger boy. 

"After what I've seen? Kind of" Georgie retorted. Stan nodded and quieted. Beverly turned her head to look over at Georgie and a frown tugged at her lips. 

"We can't start going stupid" she kept her tone soft. "That's how we'll be killed"

"Y-Yeah...One wr-wrong door and we...we g-get shot" Bill added sadly.

"What if we run out of stuff here though?" Georgie stopped his game and walked over to the railing for the porch steps. He rested his arms over it and stared down at his big brother.

"We shouldn't. Not for a while" Mike reassured him gently. 

"By then, this really should be cleaned up" Ben added. Georgie just shook his head and turned his attention out to the front yard. 

"Whatever you say" he mumbled.

Eddie leaned forward onto his knees and let out a long sigh. The feeling of Richie's hand on his back calmed him slightly but his hands still shook and his breathing hitched. 'What if we die' thoughts played on repeat in his head. He tried to shake them away.

"We haven't even seen any of those monsters here" Ben chimed. "I think we're safe"

"We have to fear living people now too" Eddie muttered. "A lot of people will take any chance they get to have the freedom to break the laws"

"Well, we're not in town. We boarded it all up here. We should be okay" Ben nodded his head in agreement with his own opinion.

"I'm not scared to pimp slap a hoe!" Richie moved his hands out in front of him and used one to backhand the other. 

"Beep beep" everybody, even Georgie, mumbled in unison. Beverly playfully backhanded Richie across the face. Her backhand was gentle, barely tapping the boy's cheek. It caught Richie by surprise but he was quick to act as he threw his body to the side, over Eddie, and held his face. The performance was pretty awful but it caused the group to erupt in laughter anyway.

"I can't believe I'm Beverly's hoe!" Richie whined jokingly. Beverly snorted and laughed harder. Eddie rolled his eyes but smiled at the two with the shake of his head to follow.

"Can't be worth much" Eddie mumbled. The laughs only got louder and everybody clutched their stomachs. The amusement was almost enough to cover the fact that the world was crumbling. Even if it was only for just a short moment. 

Stan was first to interrupt the fun when he stood to his feet and brushed his jeans free of dirt. He walked up the step he once sat on and to the front door. He looked over his shoulder at the rest of the group.

"Heading in to make dinner. Any requests?" Stan asked with a hand on the doorknob. After an overabundance of answers flooded back to Stan, he just nodded his head and disappeared inside.

"He probably won't take any of those requests" Richie commented. He sat up straight and fixed his shirt that started to creep up his side.

"You're probably right" Georgie snickered. 

After a bit of waiting, most of the group went inside to get cleaned up for dinner. Bill stopped at the door and looked over his shoulder at Georgie who was still standing down in the lawn. His eyes stared out into the woods. Bill sighed, shut the door, and walked back down the steps to walk over to his younger brother.

Bill noticed his lips curved down into a frown. He noticed how Georgie's shoulders sunk forward and his jaw trembled ever so slightly. A frown formed to his own lips. He reached a hand out and rested it on Georgie's shoulder. He gave it a gentle squeeze then looked out at the woods ahead to see where Georgie was looking.

"I can't get Mina out of my head" Georgie's voice was soft but the pain was evident. His saddened face reminded Bill of the times when they were younger and Georgie would want to play outside but Bill was just too busy with school. His expression was almost an exact replica of that one day where Bill was too sick to go play out in the rain and Georgie had to go on his own. Bill still wondered if Georgie really saw a clown or if it was just his imagination. But, he made it home safely, that's the only real thing that mattered.

"We c-couldn't have done-....have done eh-eh-anything" Bill shook his head and tugged gently on Georgie's shoulder to get his brother to look at him. "But we are s-ss....safe. That's all th-that matters" Georgie just nodded and pulled Bill into a hug. He hid his face against Bill's shoulder and let out a heavy sigh. Bill held him protectively and let his eyes wander to the sky. 

"I guess we should head in before Stan gets grumpy" Georgie finally muttered. Bill nodded and lead the way inside.

Mike and Ben helped clean up after dinner while the rest sat around the living room and got lost in various conversations  
Mike and Ben helped clean up after dinner while the rest sat around the living room and got lost in various conversations. Everybody was happy with perfectly filled stomachs. Everything seemed fine. Until it wasn't.

Beverly was first to hear it. The deep distant groans and thuds of wood hitting into each other. She jumped to her feet and looked out the window toward the front fence. A pale cut up man wandered aimlessly against the wooden fence. It ran into the fence, stumbled backward, then repeated itself. She sighed heavily.

"One of the dead...things came to visit" she looked over her shoulder. The others got up to look out the window to see what she was seeing. They then exchanged worried glances.

"What do we do? Ignore it?" Richie asked.

"Ignoring it could create a future issue" Mike responded.

"So what, we just run out and murder it?" Richie continued with his questions.

"It's already d-d-dead" Bill patted Richie's shoulder. Richie frowned and stared out the window. Georgie turned away from the window and walked back to the couch to ignore everything they were doing.

"So, we murder it" Richie finalized. "But how?" Mike walked away from the curious group. Richie watched him and noticed what he was after. The hunting rifle that rested on the wall. "That thing works?"

"Yeah" Mike muttered. He carefully took it down from its showcase. "It was my grandfather's" he sighed heavily. "Just never thought it would be used again"

"Is that really needed? For one of those things?" Beverly bit her lip after she spoke. 

"Do you really want to go out there with a knife or something? Risk being that close?" Mike asked. He glanced at her. Beverly frowned and shook her head. Mike left the room for a moment to gather the ammo for the gun then walked out to the front porch. The others, besides Georgie, followed him. 

"This doesn't feel right," Eddie said with doubt filling every word. Mike sighed heavily and looked over at him.

"You're right, it doesn't. But Eddie, we don't have any other choice anymore" Mike mumbled. He loaded the gun. Eddie frowned and turned away from the group and walked back inside to join Georgie on the couch.

Mike rested the end of the gun on the railing of the porch, leaned down to follow the aim with his sight. He aimed for the dead man's forehead. He clenched his jaw, swallowed hard, then pulled the trigger.

The dead man fell, his body finally matching his fate. The others stayed quiet while Mike slowly stood up straight. His first kill, down. He knew it wouldn't be the last. Eddie walked out a little while after the gunshot. 

"Should we bury it?" Ben asked, already heading down the front steps. Beverly followed him.

"We could" she agreed.

"We don't even know who he is" Eddie argued, following down the steps but not crossing the yard as they were.

"It's better than having dead bodies just laying around!" Beverly called back to him. Eddie sighed in defeat and went to get the shovel. 

Ben and Beverly knelt over him cautiously, watching its body to make sure it was completely dead. Beverly frowned and carefully closed its eyes. Eddie walked over with the shovel, avoiding staring at the dead body. 

"Got the shovel" Eddie mumbled gently. Beverly and Ben slowly stood up as Mike and Stan walked over. Stan, Mike, Ben, and Eddie worked together to carry the body toward the backyard of the farmhouse. Beverly ran ahead to start digging the hole. 

Once they finally got the body there, they waited for the hole to be dug deep enough. Stan felt around the dead man's pockets. He found a pocket knife and a wallet. He opened the wallet and looked at the I.D. 

"His name is Tom Wallace" Stan said softly. His eyebrows lowered and his lips curled down. The others looked at him then at the wallet. Beverly finished digging and wiped her forehead with the back of her arm. 

Mike and Ben carefully dropped the body in the hole. Eddie walked over with a makeshift cross that he made by nailing two pieces of wood together. Stan held his hand out for the cross and Eddie gave it to him. Using the pocket knife, Stan carved Tom's name in the cross. While Ben covered the body with the dirt that Beverly dug up, Stan forced the cross into the ground at the head of the grave.

"Rest in peace, Tom" Beverly talked gently. Georgie, who had walked out during the burial, gently laid a hand on her shoulder. Beverly looked up at him and offered a smile but Georgie didn't return it. Instead, he looked at the new grave.

"I really hope none of us end up there" Richie mumbled louder than he intended. 

"We won't" Bill shot a slight glare his way. Richie looked at Bill and showed a frown.

"Hope you're right" he sighed. "Really hope you're right"


	4. Scavenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike, Richie, and Ben go out to scavenge for anything left in Derry.

Days went by. Weeks went by. Nothing had been fixed. One grave turned into four graves. Four crosses lined up almost perfectly straight. Four names of strangers they had never seen before their ultimate death. 

New rules had been made. They had to cut back on what they ate and used for meals. Of course, they had the garden and crops but other than that, food would be hard to find. The severity of the dwindling world around them was finally setting in. So was the panic.

Ben sighed heavily as he slung his backpack over his shoulders and looked over at Mike and Richie who were doing the same. Mike checked the walkie-talkie and made sure it connected to the one in Beverly's hand. He sighed in relief when the two squawked out then looked at the rest of the group.

"Ben, Richie, and I are going to town. We'll see what it's like there" Mike told the others. His gun hung over his shoulder along with his backpack. Richie and Ben both had pocket knives hiding in their jean pockets.

"Please be safe" Beverly said as she stood and kissed her boyfriend on the lips then gave Mike and Richie kisses on their cheeks. "Return in one piece. All three of you"

"We will" Ben responded. His hand lingered in Beverly's not wanting to let it go. 

"Nobody would dare to fuck with us. We look so damn badass!" Richie stated. He, of course, went above and beyond. He had a bandana tied around his face, a hat on his head, and a belt with handles for guns which he had none of. Beverly cracked a smile and rolled her eyes.

"We'll be back before the sun goes down" Mike stated. They gave their goodbyes and left for the Jeep. Mike got into the driver's seat, Ben in the passenger, and Richie in the back. He started the Jeep up and drove out onto the road. "I'm thinking we pull off into the trees just before town. Walk the rest of the way?"

"Why the fuck would we do that?" Richie asked. Mike rolled his eyes.

"Saves gas. Anyway, the town is probably a disaster with cars scattered all about. It would be hard to snake around them. Oh! If we do find a lot of cars, we can steal their gas. I have the tools to do that in the back and some gas tanks"

"Damn, we're really resulting in being criminals" Ben muttered.

"It's been weeks, Ben. We haven't even heard any updates on the radio. We're on our own out here" Mike stated firmly. Ben sighed in defeat, knowing Mike was right. He just didn't want to admit the facts.

"So, what if some gangs hold guns on us. What do we do then?" Richie asked. Mike rolled his eyes. "Serious question!"

"You keep your mouth shut and let Ben and I deal with it," Mike told him. Richie shrugged.

"Fair enough" Richie replied.

Mike pulled off the road just outside of the inner town of Derry. He pulled off into the trees then got out with Ben and Richie. They moved branches and bushes to hide the car the best they could then walked toward the road. Ben packed the tools needed to steal gas in his backpack and carried a gas can with them. 

The town was emptier than they had ever seen it. Cars were randomly placed about along the roads, some even crashed. The town looked like a mess but there really wasn't much sign of other humans. At least, none that weren't dead. 

"Where to first?" Richie asked softly as he eyed the dead lurkers down the road. Mike motioned toward the big convenience store and led the way. Ben and Richie followed close behind, keeping a lookout from all angles. Mike slowly pushed the door open, noting it was smashed. He pointed at the broken glass, warning his friends. They nodded in return.

They walked inside and looked around. The place was a mess. Counters were broken, empty boxes were thrown about, there were even a few lights that had fallen from the ceiling and smashed on the floor. Each of the boys let out a soft sigh.

"Alright, take what we can find. If there's even anything left" Mike stated. Ben and Richie walked away obediently to look for anything to scavenge. 

Richie found some moldy bread and looked closely to find it's color. Once he noted it was blue, he tossed the bag of bread into his backpack. Ben saw him and slowly raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you taking that?" Ben asked from down the aisle. "It's moldy and disgusting"

"Eddie had mentioned at the house that the mold can be turned into forms of antibiotics. He read it in some medical book a while back" Richie replied as he shoved another bag of moldy bread into his backpack. 

"Does he even know how?"

"We'll find out. If you find any honey or garlic, I think those are things that can be used too" Richie noted then turned away to check behind some empty boxes. Ben nodded and left the aisle to check other shelves. 

Ben found a few cans of tuna, a few bags of chips, and a few boxes of seasoned rice. Each item was packed into his bag. He kicked some empty boxes out of the way and made sure to scan over every shelf thoroughly. He found more spiders and bugs than anything else in the aisle he was in.

Richie found various items to store in his backpack. He found himself in the children's section of the store out of pure curiosity of what would be left. Surprisingly, there was a lot. He found a big box of chalk and snatched it off the shelf with a small grin. He also grabbed a few boxes of crayons and markers. He stored the crayons and markers but carried the chalk with him. When he left the aisle, Mike was standing nearby and gave him a confused look.

"You never know if we'll need to mark something!" Richie stated. Mike just rolled his eyes but gave an amused chuckle. "I don't see spray paint here so this chalk is what we're using. Anyway, find anything good?"

"Some tools and dishes. A few boxes of baking ingredients. But a lot of it is a waste" Mike sighed. 

"There's a tool shop around here. We should hit there too" Richie mentioned. "We have a lot at home but extra couldn't hurt"

"You're right, Rich" Mike responded with the nod of his head. "We can also check out the mechanic's building. Wouldn't hurt to stop by the pharmacy. I'm sure it's all gone by now but we have time to spare" Richie nodded. Ben came up the final aisle and sighed heavily.

"Didn't find much" Ben admitted. The others shared their findings and they headed out the door quietly. Richie opened the box of chalk and turned around. He looked up at the archway covering the sidewalk then moved a few shopping carts out of the way. He then knelt down. Mike and Ben watched him curiously.

Richie carefully wrote 'Nothing Left' along the sidewalk with an arrow pointing at the doors. Richie then put the chalk away, dusted his hands off, and turned back to his friends. Mike nodded and led the way to the next building.

They looted most of the buildings in the main part of Derry. Ben even stopped by the library to get enough books to entertain the readers in the group. Their findings really weren't much but even the smallest of things would help. 

Richie stopped when he noticed a gun still holstered on a dead cop laying in the street. Richie looked ahead at Mike and Ben who hadn't noticed that he had stopped then walked toward the dead body. His knife was already although he could tell the cop was actually dead. 

Richie slowly knelt down by the body. By this time, Mike and Ben both had noticed and looked back to see what he was doing. They walked back to his side.

"Is this even legal?" Ben asked.

"None of what we're doing is legal, Ben!" Richie muttered back as he unholstered the gun and checked to see if there was ammo in it. There was.

"But you're literally taking government property" Ben mumbled nervously.

"Ben! Laws clearly don't apply here anymore!" Richie snapped before he sighed heavily. "We need guns. You know how this world will be without laws" 

"He's right" Mike admitted. Ben gave in and Richie was quick to place the pistol into his own gun holster. He checked for more clips of ammo but unfortunately, only found a few. 

"It's better than nothin', right?" Richie looked at Mike with a raised eyebrow. Mike nodded and squeezed Richie's shoulder.

"Nice find" 

Things went smoothly until they arrived at the mechanics building. Mike opened the door and as soon as it was opened, they heard a crash inside followed by a low groan. Mike sighed heavily and looked at Richie and Ben. They both nodded and Ben took the lead. Ben turned on his flashlight to see in the shadows. He carefully walked around the place and listened to the sounds.

"Hello?" Ben called out gently. "If you're alive, speak up. We're not here to hurt you" the only response there was, was a loud groan. Ben sighed. He hated this part. He noticed the dead man stumbling around the shelves and gulped. He had his pocket knife ready and waited for the dead one to get closer. 

Just as the dead man tried to reach out for Ben, Ben quickly pushed his arms away and stabbed him through the skull. The dead fell to the floor, truly dead this time. Ben frowned and stepped over him. Richie and Mike frowned too but followed.

They looted the place of everything they needed. They left what they had no use for, hoping others that needed it would find it. 

They made it to each building and took what they could. Most of the things they found was just junk but luckily, there were still a few good things left. Their backpacks filled pretty quickly and they couldn't possibly fill them anymore.

So they headed back for the Jeep. They dodged the dead that roamed the streets. Ben had gotten a full can of gas from the cars they passed and even went back with the other cans to get more. While he stole the gas, Richie and Mike made noisy distractions for the dead to follow so Ben was safe. When they were done, they then all piled into the Jeep and drove home. The sun had already started to set. The only light on the road came from the headlights of the Jeep. 

Everything was fine, that is until they saw another pair of headlights directly in front of them.


End file.
